Breast-stay for coats.



No. 743,304. PATENTED NOV. s, 1903.

R M. M. MARKS.

BREAST STAY FOR COATS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1903. N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BREAST-STAY FOR COATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,304, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed April 16 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRIS M. MARKS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Breast-Stays or Retainers for Coats, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a breast-stay or retainer for coats as to impart to the breast portion of the coat a permanent curve or set which will prevent the same from sagging when the coat is unbuttoned. This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a breast-stay or retainer for coats constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an exaggerated sectional view of the same on the line a a, and Fig. 3 is an edge view of part of the stay.

The breast-stay or retainer is composed of a canvas portion 1, a stiftener2, of hail-cloth or like material, a pad 3, and an inner strip or facing 4, the outline of the stiffener being indicated by the dotted lines a; m, Fig. 1, and the outline of the pad where it passes beneath the facing 4 being indicated by the dotted line y 'y, said pad also having an armhole extension 3, as usual. These four members of ,the breast-stay or retainer are united by horizontal lines of stitches, preferably zigzag double-thread lock-stitches,one thread, 5,

lying on the inner face of the strip 4, and the other thread, 6, lying on the outer face of the canvas portion 1 of the stay.

In sewing together the members of the stay the latter are fed through a curved guide which holds them in the desired position during the sewing operations. Hence the inner facing-piece is shorter than the outer canvas layer to an extent dependent upon the difference in radius of its curve compared with the radius formed by the outer canvas member of the stay, and as the parts are held in their proper relative positions by the stitching it follows that the curve imparted to the stay by the guide during the sewing operation will be permanently retained after said sewing operation is completed. If desired, also, the inner thread 5 may be subjected to Serial No. 152,967. (No model.)

a stronger tension than the outer thread, and this will further aid in retaining the stay in the desired curved condition.

In order to overcome any tendency of the inner edge of the stay to bend or buckle, the outer canvas layer 1 of the stay has an incision extending somedistance inwardly from said edge, as shown in Fig. 1, the edges of the incision being overlapped diagonally, as shown at 7, and these overlapped edges being held in place by thestitches 5 and 6, so'

that the inner edge of the layer 1 of the stay is correspondingly shortened and is thus kept under constant tension.

By the use of a breast-stay or retainer of the character described the breast portion of a coat will have a permanent curve or set which will prevent the coat from sagging when unbuttoned, and a garment having an attractive appearance at all times is thereby insured.

I am aware that breast-pads or linings have hitherto been proposed which have been constructed in such a manner as to impart a curved form to the coat-body; but such prior devices with which I am familiar have relied for the formation of the curve upon means which lacked permanency, whereas a breaststay or retainer made in accordance with my invention will permanently hold the curved form or set originally imparted to it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A breast-stay or retainer for coats, having its component members united together by rows of stitches, the member on the inner face of the stay being less in length between the ends of the rows of stitches than the member on the outer face, and said latter member having an overlap on its inner edge whereby it is shortened in respect to the remaining portion, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MORRIS M. MARKS.

Witnesses:

F. E. BECHTOLD, J os. H. KLEIN. 

